Propelling mechanism for water-craft



,v E. J. SCHNEI TER. PROPELLING MECHANISM FOR WATER CRAFT.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT 18, 1919.

, Patented May 24, 1921.

PATENT @FFIQE.

EDWARD J'. SCHNEITEE, OF CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS.

PROPELLING- MECHANISM FOR. WATER-CRAFT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 24, 1921.

Application filed September 18, 1919. Serial No. 32%,309.

'1 b all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD J. Sonnnrrnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, county of Cook, and State of. Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Propelling Mechanism for /Vater-Craft, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improved propolling mechanism for watercraft, particularly racing-craft and is in that class involving the use of paddle wheel structures.

Among the important objects of my in vention are: to provide improved cam mechanism for eiiioiently turning the paddles at the proper time to be in the proper angle for propulsion engagement with the water; to provide improved means for permitting the paddles to be feathered at the proper time by the pressure of the water against them; to provide improved arrangement which will cause the propelling mechanism to operate to raise the craft out of the water so as to greatly reduce the water re sistance and increase the speed of the craft; and in general to provide simple and substantial construction and arrangement which will propel watercraft with great power and speed. 7

The above and other features of my invention are clearly shown on the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a water-craft with my improved propelling mechanism applied thereto,

Fig. 2 is a plan view, and V Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view on plane 8-3, Fig. 2, showing the mechanism for limiting the axial'rotation of the paddle blade supporting arms.

The hull 5 of the craft may suitable construction, preferably such as to permit of the greatest speed. Journaled in suitable bearings 6 and 7 supported by the craft sides are one or more shafts 8 extending transversely of the hull. and connected by means of suitable gear mechanism 9 with a driving engine E, which engine is preferably of the explosive type. Clutch levers 1O permit selective clutching of the various shafts in driving connection with the engine. I have shown two shafts, although one or more than two can be provided.

At the ends of the shaft the propulsion units P are secured. These units are of similar construction. Each involves a hub be of any structure 11 secured to the shaft end to which hub structure the bearing sleeves 12 are secured in tangential position to support the arms 13 for axial. rotation, each of these arms supporting a paddle or blade 14%. Any number of arms may be provided on each hub. :is shown, each hub is provided with four bearing sleeves and four arms, the arrangement being such that the blades or paddles are uniformly placed around the hub. The blade supporting arms are axially rotatable in their respective sleeves and are locked against longitudinal displacement by collars 15 and 16. Each blade is secured along one of its longitudinal edges to its supporting arm and each arm has also secured thereto a cam linger 17. in the drawing these cam lingers are shown extending from the collars 16 which are secured to the blade supporting arms. Associated with each hub outfit is a cam plate 18 which is secured in any suitable manner to the craft side to be in the path of the cam'fingers 17 as the hub supporting shaft is rotated. When the fingers are in engagement with the cam plate the blades will be extended away from the craft body at right angles with the cam plate. The extent of a cam plate is preferably such that the associated paddle arms are rotated just before the blades are to engage with the water and are held in such position during travel through the water through certain are. the extent of the plate is such that the fingers will disengage therefrom shortly before the arms reach a vertical position. As soon as the lingers leave the cam plate, the arms will be. free to rotate and owing to the water pressure against the blades, the blades will be swung into parallelism with the cam plate and will trail throu h the water after the supporting arms. the arms are raised above the water the weight of the blades will keep them in hanging position until the respective fingers engage with the cam plate whereupon the arms will again be rotated to swing the blades outwardly to be at right angles with the plate. In other words the cooperation of the lingers with the cam plate cause the blades to be brought into propelling position with reference to the water and release of the fingers from the plate will permit the water pressure and gravity to cause the blades to trail or feather. To time the rotation of the arms to the ninety degrees necessary Preferably for swinging the blades from propelling position to feathering position a pin 19 is provided on each arm which pin extends through a slot 20 cut in the respective hearing sleeve 12, such slot being of ninety degrees extent. When the cam finger on one arm is in engagement with the cam plate the pin in that arm will be in abutment with the outer edge 21 of the slot 20, this preventing rotation of the arm and downward swing of the blade by gravity as the blade is being carried toward the water. After release of the cam finger from the plate the respective blade will trail or feather and the pin 19 will be carried against the upper end 22 of the slot, the pin and slot connection permitting the blade to swing only in one direction to trailing or feathering position, the respective cam fingers being then in the proper position to cooperate with the cam plate during the next upward and forward travel of the arm.

' As the propelling units are rapidly driven by the engine the powerful and rapid engagement of the blades with the water produces a lifting effect as well as a propulsion effect on the craft, the craft being raised and the water resistance correspondingly reduced. Where a sufiicient number of propelling units are applied, the hull can be lifted entirely out of the water and the craft then propelled with great velocity. If units are 7 applied only at the front of the craft the front part willbe partly or entirely raised out of the water to reduce the water or wave resistance. My improved propelling mechanism is therefore very desirable and useful for high speed for racing-craft. The construction and arrangement is very simple though substantial and efficient. I do not of course desire to be limited to the exact construction, arrangement and operation shown and described, as modifications can no doubt be made which would still come within the scope of the invention. Having described my invention, 1 claim as follows:

1. In water-craft propelling. device, the combination of a drive shaft, a hub secured to said shaft, bearing sleeves on said hub,

arms extending at right angles with said shaft and axially rotatable in said sleeves, blades secured at one edge to said arms, cam fingers extending from said arms, a stationary cam plate secured in the path of said cam fingers, the engagement of said finers with said cam plate causing said arms to be held in position to hold the respective iblades at right angles with the cam, plate position, the pressure of the in propellin 6 blades causing them to water against said trail through the water after release of the respective cam fingers from said cam plate.

2. in water-craft propelling device, the combination of a drive shaft, a hub secured to said shaft, a plurality of bearing sleeves secured to said hub, arms axially rotatable in said sleeves, a paddle blade secured on each arm along one of its longitudinal edges, a cam "linger extending from each arm, a stationary cam plate secured in the path of said cam lingers, said arms being free to rotate when said fingers are disengaged from said plate whereby to permit gravity or water pressure to swing the blades into parallelism with said plate, the engagement of said fingers with said plate causing the respective blades to be swung outwardly and held at right angles with said plate in propelling position.

3. water-craft propelling device, the combination of a shaft, a plurality of bearing sleeves secured to the end of said shaft, arms rotatable axially in said sleeves, a paddle blade secured along one of its longitudinal edges to each of said arms, a cam finger extending from each of said arms, a cam engagement of said fingers with said plate causing rotation of said arms to swing and hold said blades at right angles with said plate and in position for propulsion engagement with the water, said arms being free to rotate when said fingers are released from said plate to permit feathering of said blade, and stop mechanism for limiting the rotation of said arms.

4:. In a water-craft propelling device, the combination of a drive shaft, a hub secured at the end of said shaft, a plurality of bearing sleeves secured to said hub and extending tangentially thereof in a plane at right angles with the axis of the shaft, an arm axially rotatable in each sleeve, a paddle blade secured to each arm, a cam finger extending from each arm, a cam plate secured in the path of said cam fingers, means for rotating said shaft, the engagement of said cam fingers with said cam plate causing said arms to be rotated to swing the respective paddle blades into position at right angles with said plate, said arms being free to ro-- tate when said fingers are released from said plate, said paddle blades being caused to feather through the water by the pressure of the water against them.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 15th day of September, A. D., 1919.

EDWARD J. SCHNEITER, 

